Travel: Disneyland Paris shows are simply Marvellous for all the family

A crescendo of cheers greets a gargantuan 3D representation of Spider-Man, standing more than 140ft tall, attached by strands of brilliant white webbing to one side of the Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror building in Disneyland Paris.

The spandex-clad superhero, realised using hundreds of drones in the night-time sky, waves, then amusingly loses his grip and surrenders to gravity with a staccato symphonic thud and a spurt of impeccably-timed pyrotechnics.

This delightfully comical coda to the new Avengers: Power The Night spectacular at Walt Disney Studios Park heralds the grand finale of the resort’s 30th anniversary celebrations, which continue until September, with new attractions and offerings including the first drone show performed daily in any Disney park.

The jaw-dropping eight-minute extravaganza is performed nightly until May 8 and harnesses laser video projections, fireworks, lights and special effects, alongside 500 illuminated airborne devices to conjure Captain America’s shield, Thor’s mighty hammer, and Shang-Chi’s 10 gold rings.

© Disney / PA

When a digitally projected Iron Man unleashes a Repulsor blast from his hand on the building’s façade, a perfectly timed firework arcs into the air, tracing the weapon’s path.

“Look after one another as if we were one single tribe,” purrs Black Panther, amidst swollen choral chants of “Wakanda Forever!”

Avengers: Power The Night is the latest milestone in a £1.7 billion expansion of Walt Disney Studios Park. In 2019, the reconfigured Studio Theatre hosted an action-packed Marvel: Super Heroes United stage show that pitted Iron Man, Captain America and allies against supervillain Thanos, augmented with innovative special effects, including a full-size car flying across the stage.

This summer, the 1,100-seat theatre welcomes Pixar: We Belong Together, a rip-roaring musical adventure celebrating the enduring power of friendship that weaves characters and songs from different animated films.

Grand Finale festivities extend across the adjacent Disneyland Park.

The Disney D-Light drone show continues to light up the sky before the Disney Illuminations night-time spectacular.

The seven minute-long display boasts 150 drones dancing in the air over the castle’s pearlescent towers.

From April 12, as part of the Grand Finale, illuminations will be extinguished to make way for a revival of the award-winning Disney Dreams.

Combining pyrotechnics with lasers, dancing fountains and projection mapping, the updated 21-minute show will introduce LED technology to the rooftops of Sleeping Beauty Castle, synchronised to twinkle to a nostalgic soundtrack that shoots for the second star to the right in the company of Peter Pan’s mischievous shadow, and characters from Beauty And The Beast, Ratatouille, Aladdin, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Lion King, Brave, Tangled and The Princess And The Frog.

© PA / Disney

Many of these animated films are immortalised as surrealist kinetic sculptures in the ongoing Gardens Of Wonder installation as part of the 30th anniversary, which encircles Central Plaza in front of the castle.

With Disneyland Hotel closed until next year for a royal-themed makeover befitting Disney princesses and princes of all ages, Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art Of Marvel remains a prime destination for weekend visits to the Marne-la-Vallée resort, and features exclusive artwork of characters in the Avengers: Power The Night show.

Guests have exclusive access to the Super Hero Station, where resplendently costumed Marvel stablemates such as Black Widow are available for one-on-one encounters.

P.S.

The Walt Disney Studios Park expansion began in July last year with the opening of the immersive Avengers Campus and two rides, Spider-Man WEB Adventure and the turbo-charged Avengers Assemble: Flight Force rollercoaster. The Frozen-themed kingdom of Arendelle opens in 2025.

Factfile:

Walt Disney Travel Company International offers a two-night/three-day stay at Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, including return travel on Eurostar from London St Pancras to Disneyland Paris via Lille, from £2,376 for two adults and two children (ages 3-9) sharing a superior room, including park tickets.